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from blocks of flats, hospitals and institutions. Upon the introduction
of the various Salvage of Waste Materials Orders,
arrangements were made for fortnightly collections of house refuse
and salvageable materials and this was done by collecting in one
week house refuse from the northern half of the Borough and
salvageable material from the southern half and transposing the
arrangement from week to week. A weekly collection of all refuse
was, however, maintained at flats, etc.
The call-up of men for service with H.M. Forces or in work
of national importance has rendered it increasingly difficult to
maintain these arrangements during the past year or two, and
representations have been made repeatedly to the appropriate
ministries with a view to securing the allocation of suitable labour
for this work. The position became very much more serious
towards the end of 1944 with the expiry of the contract between
the Council and the contractor who removed the refuse from the
Council's wharf in Lee Conservancy Road to his disposal tip in
Essex. Some time prior to the expiry of this contract the Ministry
of War Transport made a severe cut in the number of barges
available for the disposal of house refuse, and no contractor was
able to fulfil the Council's requirements. Thus, it has been
necessary, temporarily, to dispose of the bulk of the house refuse
at West Ham. This has involved the transfer of house refuse from
the electrically driven dust collecting vehicles, which are unable
to make the return journey to West Ham, to petrol driven vans,
and this has added to the labour difficulty.
As a temporary expedient, arrangements have been made
whereby as from 1st March, 1945, the bulk of the refuse is being
disposed of in conjunction with the refuse of neighbouring boroughs.
The longer journeys to dispose of the refuse involved in these
arrangements reduce the number of vanloads of refuse which can
be dealt with in a day, and the result is that refuse remains
uncollected for several weeks at a time.
It is hoped that the urgent representations which are being
made to tne appropriate ministries regarding this unsatisfactory
position may result in an improvement in the position as otherwise
danger to the public health may result during the coming summer.
Rats and Mice.—The infestation of premises by rats and mice
has continued to receive close attention. Whilst there is no major
infestation of any premises in the Borough at the present time
there has been widespread destruction of property and damage to
drains from which rats escape from sewers. There are also other
abnormal conditions which provide circumstances favourable to the